Live Streams on Twitch Help Viewers Cope With Difficult Periods in Life.

ABSTRACT: Live streaming platforms such as Twitch that facilitate participatory online communities have become an integral part of game culture. Users of these platforms are predominantly teenagers and young adults, who increasingly spend time socializing online rather than offline. This shift to online behavior can be a double-edged sword when coping with difficult periods in life such as relationship issues, the death of a loved one, or job loss. On the one hand, platforms such as Twitch offer pleasure, distraction, and relatedness with others to help with coping, and the increased sense of anonymity and control could stimulate self-disclosure. However, the prevalence of trolling and memes may also discourage people from opening up, and relationships that are built online-especially those with mic

SUBMITTER: de Wit J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7714943 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature